


Road Trip with the Wards

by Seventyfiveapples



Category: Bright (2017)
Genre: Feels, Other, Police, Road Trips, anti-orc racism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-22 11:32:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14307750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seventyfiveapples/pseuds/Seventyfiveapples
Summary: Prompt:Daryl and Sherri are convinced by Sophia to invite Nick on their family road trip, and Nick accepts. A week with the Wards sightseeing and travelling in the family car doesn't seem so bad, right?





	Road Trip with the Wards

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [TheHigglediestOfPigs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHigglediestOfPigs/pseuds/TheHigglediestOfPigs) in the [Bright_Shorts](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Bright_Shorts) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
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>  
> 
>  
> 
> Daryl and Sherri are convinced by Sophia to invite Nick on their family road trip, and Nick accepts. A week with the Wards sightseeing and travelling in the family car doesn't seem so bad, right?

** Hour 1 **

Daryl had to admit – but only to himself – it was nice to have Nick’s help loading up the car. He could carry twice what Daryl could in a single trip, and he did so effortlessly. Ward realized (not for the first time) that he really had no idea how strong his partner was physically.

Just as they’d finished packing the car, Sophia burst out of the house.

“Nick! Guess what? I got a new game for the trip! And a new play makeup set! We can do makeovers on each other! AND you and Daddy don’t have to go fight bad guys for a WHOLE WEEK!”

Nick greeted her with a fistbump and a big smile, asking her questions about school while she climbed into the car. As Sherri buckled her in, he walked up to Daryl.

“Hey, Ward- I made us a playlist for the road.” Daryl scrolled through the songs. There were a few pop songs, but it was mostly Orcish speed-metal. “I know it’s not your usual cup of tea, but give it a chance. I promise it’ll grow on you.”

“Great, thanks, Nick. That’s, um, that’s great,” he said flatly.

He was going to need coffee.

** Hour 2 **

“Oh no,” Daryl said, a little too loudly. “It looks like my car stereo like, ate your playlist, Nick. Aw, _man_!”

“Daddy, Daddy- Nick and I can sing!” Sophia offered. "Nick taught me an Orcish song. Remember, Nick?"

“I sure do! Why don't you start and then I'll join in?” Sophia agreed and soon the two were singing at full volume. Daryl’s amusement at his daughter singing in another language soon gave way to abject horror as he realized: the song was sung in _rounds_.

It would go on as long as they wanted, and Sophia had just polished off a juice box.

Sherri smiled and looked sideways at her husband, who was trying not to smile as he shook his head. He was starting to regret telling Nick that the playlist was deleted. He checked his watch.

Six more hours’ drive today.

**Hour 3**

Daryl was finally enjoying a little quiet. Sherri had drifted off in the front seat and Nick was asleep in the back. Sophia was awake, but fully engrossed in giving the orc a makeover with her play makeup: a little eyeshadow, some lopsided lipstick, and a constellation of sparkly stickers on the top of his head.

Daryl thought about telling his daughter to leave Nick alone, but the quiet _was_ awfully nice, and he knew Nick wouldn’t mind…

…too much.

**Hour 5**

The four of them had stopped for lunch at a roadside rest stop. Sherri had packed a cooler and was getting lunch set up on a picnic table while Daryl, Nick, and Sophia headed to play on a swingset nearby.

“Hey Daddy, do you know what elves learn in school?” she asked while Daryl pushed her on the swings.

“What’s that, baby?”

“The elf-abet!” Sophia laughed loudly at her own joke, and Daryl and Nick couldn't help but laugh along.

“Hey I’ve got one,” said Nick. “What kind of music classes do orcs take?”

“I don’t know. What?” asked Sophia.

“ORChestra!” She cracked up and Nick beamed. He'd been saving that one for the road trip. Daryl smiled a little, too, in spite of himself.

“A buncha orcs playing the violin? I don’t know man.” Ward said with a laugh as he slowed Sophia’s swing, “I don’t see it.”

Nick grimaced a little. Every time he thought his partner was making progress, he would make a little comment like that, something that reminded Nick he didn't quite see Orcs as equal to humans. Sophia hopped off the swing and gave her dad a Serious Look. “Orcs can do anything humans can do, Daddy!”

“Okay baby, you’re right. Orcs can do whatever they want — except maybe whistle and grow hair.”

Just then, Sherri called the group over for lunch. Sophia rolled her eyes at her dad and ran ahead.

After finishing her sandwich, Sophia broke an apple slice in half and put the halves in her lower lip so that they stuck out like tusks.

“Look, Nick! I’m an orc!” She mumbled through the slices.

Nick gave a hearty laugh at this, throwing his head back. The sparkly stickers Sophia had put on his head twinkled. Sherri laughed, too, but Daryl looked uncomfortable.

“Come on, baby. You’re way cuter than any ugly old orc.” Nick’s smile faded, though he pretended not to pay attention.

Sophia’s expression darkened and she looked down.

“Hey, baby?” Sherri asked. “What is it?”

“Daddy’s mean about orcs. He’s gonna hurt Nick’s feelings and then they won’t be friends anymore.”

“Aw, Sophia,” Nick said with a soft expression. “You don’t have to worry about my feelings. Your dad and I- we tease each other sometimes, that’s all.”

Sophia spoke without looking up.

“My friend Sally said policemen protect each other because they’re friends. But if Daddy is mean to you then you won’t be friends, and then bad guys might get him.”

The three adults looked at each other. Sherri just shook her head, walking away. Loving a police officer meant a life of constant fear, but she’d hoped it would be a few more years until Sophia felt the same worries.

“Now, listen to me. Your dad and I are friends,” Nick began, giving Ward a look at the word “friends,” “But more important than that, we’re _partners_. That means it’s my job to watch out for him and make sure he comes home safe to you guys. And it’s his job to protect me. So when we’re out there looking for bad guys, we help each other stay safe. Okay?”

This seemed to help… somewhat.

“So, Daddy doesn’t hurt your feelings when he says orcs are ugly?”

Nick took a deep breath.

“Your dad and I have different opinions about some things, and that’s okay. You know why? Your dad is a good policeman, and a good dad, and a very good man. I look up to him, a lot. We can disagree and still be friends, because I know who he is,” Nick placed a hand on his chest, “in his heart. Does that make sense?”

She nodded. A thought occurred to Nick.

“Sophia, is that why you wanted me to come on this trip? So me and your dad could be better friends, and I would protect him at work?”

Sophia shrugged without looking at anyone.

“You _never_ have to worry about that, Sophia. No matter what, I’m _always_ going to do everything I can to keep your daddy safe.” He moved his head so that he made eye contact with her. “I promise, okay?”

She nodded, then leaned over and wrapped him into a tight hug. Surprised and touched, Nick looked at Daryl, who was blinking rapidly all of a sudden. Daryl gave a light squeeze to Nick’s shoulder.

“Nick’s right, baby. You don’t have to worry about me, okay? I got Nick watching my back, so I’m good.” Sophia went to hug her dad.

Daryl gave him a subtle head nod while his daughter held him tight. Nick’s heart swelled as he returned the gesture, realizing that Daryl really believed that.

He really trusted Nick, at last.

** Hour 6 **

Back in the car, Sherri and Sophia were buckled in the backseat while Daryl and Nick sat up front. The four of them had just finished the Alphabet Game and Sherri was now giving Sophia a makeover.

“Oh hey Nick,” Ward said, trying to sound casual. “I think I fixed that playlist. Looks like it didn’t get deleted after all. I mean, if you want to play it or whatever, that would be okay.”

Nick smiled to himself and looked out the window. This was going to be an interesting trip.


End file.
